Get the heated if you live in a cold climate like Chicago like i do

 

But if not get the normal one

 

the current draw of the front windshield heater is very high. It will be very hard on the alternator to leave it on for extended periods. Factory installation has a short timer, just enough to melt thin ice. I suspect they did that for a reason.

Please let us know when you go alternator shopping....

 

you can always switch it off when it has finished the job and you just use it when you start the car and then you use A/C system.
it looks like it is drawing lots of current and I will let you know if it brings more issues (hope not; from spring to autumn i take off the fuse )

 

Hey Thermo,

Do you have more information on wiring the front windscreen into the rear defrost button. I have a 2002 X-type and I had a heated windscreen installed where there wasn't one before I was going to go out and get the relays this week but didn't realize I don't have a switch for it. Any help would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!

 

cbrica,

How exactly did you wire that, I am trying to do the same thing!!

 

read my previous posts. i wired the control of the relay from the rear defog relay.
but in the end I wanted to be able to operate them separately. so, i wired directly from the battery and put a switch on the way. I was planning to use a timer but got lazy. i forgot it on 2 times and you know what happened....
I try not to use both rear and front defog at the same time. Battery and alternator ok until now...well I just replaced battery after 6y3m. maybe the 2 times when the battery was fully consumed actually helped the long life (I usually get 4years on a car battery) even if the literature says it is not recommended.